The ‘Roadmap’ involves moving from the production of dimension lumber, oriented strand board and plywood to manufacturing products of a higher value. Those products will likely come from the abundance of green timber that exists within the local forest.

In a press release, the Northern Rockies Regional Municipality said that they plan to develop a cluster of manufacturing facilities in the region that complement each other. This will include fully utilizing the wood coming from the forest, including the residue from manufacturing mills.

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The municipality added that their goal is to building a sustainable diversified economy. One aspect of this will see the forest have more than one company harvesting the timber.

“Regional Council and I believe a new model is required where strategic decisions regarding local forestry and manufacturing sectors are influenced more by local people rather than driven by decisions made in Victoria,” Streeper said in the press release.

This ‘Roadmap’ has been in the works for the past 10 months as the Regional Municipality has been developing and consulting with stakeholders, First Nations and advisors on a vision for the local forest sector.

The Regional Municipality is currently working with local First Nations to table an official submission in the fall to Steve Thomson, the Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations.

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